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Understanding Climate Variables

ERA5-Land Data

Climateflow uses ERA5-Land monthly averaged data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). This represents some of the most comprehensive and accurate global climate data available.

Climate Variables

Temperature

• 2-meter air temperature (standard measurement height)
• Monthly averages from 2016-2024
• Use for finding comfortable temperatures for travel

Precipitation

• Total precipitation (mm/day average)
• Identify dry seasons for outdoor activities
• Or wet seasons for lush landscapes

Snow Depth

• Snow depth in water equivalent (mm)
• Plan winter sports trips
• Avoid snow-affected regions

Monthly Sunlight Intensity

• Average solar radiation (W/m²)
• Find sunny destinations
• Converted from J/m² to intensity

Beach Score

• Composite metric (0-100%)
• Combines temperature, precipitation, and sun
• Optimal: 24-28°C with low rain

Daily Max / Nightly Min (T-MAX / T-MIN)

• Average daily high and nightly low per cell
• From ERA5-Land daily statistics (true daily extremes, not the monthly mean)
• Shows the real day–night range behind the average temperature

Data Resolution & Cell Sizes

Climate values are shown on a regular grid. Each colored cell represents the average conditions over its whole area:

• Regular mode: 0.2° grid — each cell covers about 22 × 22 km at the equator (~490 km²)
• HD mode (toggle in the top bar): 0.1° grid — about 11 × 11 km per cell (~123 km²), 4× more detail, larger download

Cells get narrower toward the poles: the east–west size shrinks with the cosine of latitude (at 60°N a Regular cell is ~22 × 11 km). Zoom in to see the outline of each cell showing the exact area it covers.